Mechanically operated tooth brush



Feb. 6, 1940. SElFmED 2,189,408

MECHANICALLY OPERATED TOOTH BRUSH Filed May 19, 1937 Patented Feb, e,1940 PATENT oFFIcE v MECHANICALLY OPERATED TOOTH BRUSH TheodoreSeifriecl, Nashville, Tenn. Application May 19, 1937, Serial No.l143,579

1 Claim.

One of the most important features of my invention resides in the curvedtapered form of the body of my device with the operating mechanismmounted in the cap whereby the spring is easily wound and controlled andthe brush is disposed' in the proper position to permit the user toclean with ease and facility both the inner and router surface of theteeth.

My invention relates to improvements in mechanically operated toothbrushes, that is to say, al tooth brush operated by a spring motore-mbodied in the brush structure as a whole.

One object of my invention is the provision of a tooth brush of thecharacter stated which will operate after the manner of a dentistsinstrumentand which will reach every crevice of the teeth from theinside and outside surfaces of the teeth to insure a most perfectcleaning.

Another object of my invention is the provision of a mechanical or motoroperated tooth brush whichwill be of the most convenient and desirableshape for use in order to permit its perfect handlingl or manipulationby any person.

Another object of my invention is the provision of a tooth brush of thecharacter stated which will effect a perfect and thorough cleaning ofthe teeth and which will permit the use of brushes of different sizesand shape, as may be found most desirable.

Anotherobject of my invention is the provision of .a mechanicallyoperated tooth brush which all things considered, will possess merit inpoint of simplicity and durability of construction, which can be madeand sold at the right price, and which in every particular will provehighly eicient and practical.

bodying my invention.

Figure 2 represents asectional view taken on line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 represents a sectional view line 3-3 of Figure l, and

Figure 4 represents a se line 4-4 of Figure 1.

taken on ctional view taken on Referring by numeral to the drawing, inwhich the same numbers of reference denote like parts in all theA views:

The numeral I designates the 4body portion or handle of my tooth brushwhich is of hollow curved or fiaring construction having a passage I' inits outer reduced end and formed with screw threadsl I at its. inneropen end to receive the 5- threads 2 on the cap 2', which is formed withan opening 2" vfor a purpose which willpresently appear. l

Disposed within and rigidly secured to the handle or body portioncontiguous to said cap 2', 10, is the drum or casing 3 in which ismounted the coil spring 3' having one end secured at 3x, to the drum andits otherv end 3a secured to' the shaft 8 which extends outward throughthe opening 2",

of the cap 2' and is formed with a knurled end 15' S', for rotating saidshaft;v Mounted on said shaft 8 intermediate its length is the ratchetWheel I2 which is rotated bythe unwinding of the coil spring 3' andwhich ratchet is retained in place by the lever-operated pawl-or dog I320 fulcrumed to the lug I4 and having an arm I5 adapted to receivepressure from the finger to release said pawl I3 from engagement withthe ratchet to permit rotation of said ratchet and the shaft 8 under theimpulse of said spring 3', 25 and said pawl is held in properengagement` with the ratchet by meansof the small coil spring I as mostclearly shown in Figure 2.

It will be noted that the shaft 8, extends out through the cap 2', andforms a winding stud $0 or stem for placing the'v spring 3 under tensionand permitting the spring to be wound with ease and facility.

From this construction it will be apparent that the outer end of shaft 8projects beyond the cap 35 and that the turning of the shaft winds thecoil spring and carries with it the ratchet wheel, which ratchet wheelwhen released through the action of the linger-operated pawl or detentimparts a rapid rotation to theshaft 8, and on said 40 shaft 8 at itsinner end is mounted the large gear wheel 4, which meshes with anddrives the smaller gear wheel 5, mounted on a short stud 5', and to thesaid gear 5 is connected the flexible shaft I'I which extends throughthe body portion or 45 handle ofthe implement and passes through theopening I', in the reduced end of said handle, and said shaft is formedwith a round portion I8 which fits in the socket I9 of the brush head 20carrying the brush II. l

`From the foregoing description taken in con nection with thedrawing,'the operation of my tooth brush will be readily understood andits many advantages be appreciated, and it will be apparent that thespring is wound up by rotation n of the shaft 8 until the spring hasbeen placed under the desired tension, in which condition it is retainedby the ratchet Wheel and the manually controlled pawl or detent and thatupon the release of such pawl, the ratchet wheel is permitted thenecessary revolution to impart rotation through the gear wheel and theflexible shaft to the tooth brush.

It will be apparent that the tool or brush is of the desired size andshape to permit the cleaning of the teeth on their inner and outer facesin a thorough and perfect manner, such as a dentist would perform thisoperation to effect the thorough removal of any surface accumulationboth from the inner and outer faces of the teeth.

It will be evident that a tooth brush constructed according to myinvention will operate with ease and facility and that it possessesmerit over the tooth brushes in general use from every point of view andthat its features of merit will commend it as highly desirable,practical and useful.

I claim: t

The mechanically operated tooth brush herein shown and described,comprising hollow generally tapering body portion circular in verticalcross section and having its upper wall continuously curving downwardlyand forwardly and having its lower wall horizontal at its rear portionand slightly curving downwardly and for- Wardly at its front portionwhereby a conical curved handle is formed, said body portion beingprovided at its reduced end with an opening having its axisapproximately parallel to the upper wall of said handle, a drum mountedon a horizontal axis in the enlarged open end of said handle and havingits rear end open and its front end closed by a Wall, a centrallydisposed opening being formed in said drum wall, a cap fitting upon theopen end of said handle and having an opening axially aligned with thesaidopening in the wall of the drum, a shaft journalled in the openingsof the wall and cap and having its inner end extended beyond said walland its outer end projecting rearwardly of said cap to form a windingstem, a hat coiled spring arranged in the drum with one end secured tothe drum and its other end secured to said shaft to impart rotation tosaid shaft, a large vertically disposed driving gear wheel secured tothe inner projecting end of said shaft, a stud projecting forwardly fromthe upper portion of said Wall of the drum, a small gear wheel on saidstud meshing with the said large driving gearwheel, a iexible shafthaving its inner end secured to said stud and curved throughout toconform to the upper curved wall of the handle and with its free endprojecting through said opening in the reduced end of the handle, arotary flat faced tooth brush tted axially in the end of said flexibleshaft, and a manually releasable ratchet mechanism for either holding orreleasing the at spring and thereby controlling its unwinding.

THIEIODORE SEIFRIED.

